The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-03
MARY ANDERsoN's GHOST STORY.
Confronted by an Apparition in tho
Palace of Lord Lytton.
From the Philadelphia Telegraph.

| Palace OF LORD Lytton.
From the Philadelphia Telegraph.
One of the best authenticated of modern
| ghost stories that l have ever heard was
told me lately by an English lady, who had
it from the lips of the heroine of the adven-
ture, the fair and famous American actress
Mary Anderson. At one time during a
former visit to England, Miss An oerson
was invited to pay visit to Lord and Lady
Lytton the former best known as Owen
Incredibly who were then at the ancestral
seat OF the Bulwers the well known manor
of Knebworth. The fair actress was a great
favorite with the host and hostess, and had
more than once before been their guest at
their historical country home, certain
apartment called the white and gold room
having always been placed at her disposal.
On her arrival on this last occasion another
apartment was allotted to her, her usual
quarters having been taken by an early
conner. Her new room was equally
spacious and handsome, though some
what gloomy on account of the mas
slve antique furniture, while a large
picture of Queen Elizabeth, evidently con-
temporary likeness, hung upon the wall,
aud by its faded hues and imperious aspect
| lent an impression of weird mystery to the
surroundings. But these ideas only occurred
to Miss Anderson after tho incident l am
about to relate. She found her room on
first entering it very pleasant, and every ar
rangement had been made for her comfort,
her maid having been installed in a small
room just outside her own, and communi-
eating with it by door.
Miss Anderson arrived in the afternoon.
| Dinner was served at 6 O'clock, and the
evening passed Off in a very agreeable man
ner. No ghost stories We're told, the con-
Versatlon taking an animated and merry
tone, and the party did not separate till
near o'clock, $50 you see," remarked Miss
Anderson parenthetically, when she first
narrated the history, lit is not at oil likely
that could have been suffering from indi-
gestlon" She retired to rest, the door be-
tween her bedroom and that of her maid
being wide open, and that leading to the
| corridor having been securely bolted. No
sooner had Miss Anderson blown out the
light and laid her head on the pillow than
she became conscious of a singular and I'M
pleasant change in the atmosphere of the
room, which became at once intensely cold
and damp and overwhelmingly oppressive,
SO as to be scarcely respirable. II could
compare it, she afterward said, ''to nothing
except q blanket saturated with iced water
and pressing upon my mouth and noStriis
so as almost to stop my breath She tried
to cry out, but strength and power of
speech seemed to have alike forsaken her
iuGU SIG Detul0e aware Oh something
clutching at the bed clothes q strong grasp
| fastened at intervals on the coverlids and
blankets she had drawn over her. In the
extremity of her alarm, she contrived by
| putting forth all her strength to raise her
self i'll II sitting posture, supported by her
hands, and she was instantly dashed back
against the headboard of the bed by a fierce
grasp fastened on her back and shoulders.
During this mute and terrible struggle
! A n Ii,rbt in kn,,
maids room flashing up and going out,
this process being repeated several
times. She tried in vain to reach her own
match box, which was placed beside her
bed, but failing in that attempt she finally
broke loose from the hold of her invisible
prosecutor and sprang from the bed, utter
ing piercing Shrek Her maid instantly
rushed into the room, cxclaiming i'll terror:
80, Miss Mary did you see itT SEQ
what" asked Miss Anderson, in renewed
alarm. Something cannot. tell what
that caught me by the throat and
tried to choke me as soon as
/ got into bed.n On compar-
ing their experiences, the mistress and the
maid found that they had suffered in pre-
cisely the same manner, but the latter had
contrived to get hold Of the match box
But every time that / struck a match,
Miss Mary" added the frightened girl,
something would blow it out" The Two
terrified girls lighted their lamps and sat
down together ON Miss Andcrson's bed,
wrapped in blankets, to await the dawn Of
the day, having first investigated the fasten-
ings of the outer doors of their rooms and
having found them secure and in good or
der.
As soon as it was light they dressed them-
selves and went down stairs, exciting great
deal of attention and comment on the part
of the early risers among the servants by
Finally the housekeeper came to ask Miss
Anderson if anything was the matter. and
the first exclamation of that functionary on
hearing her story was "What-agaInp
This remark she tried to explain away, as
surfing Miss Anderson that she must have
been suffering from nightmare, though she
failed to account for the fact that this dread
full form of nightmare had attacked both
the mistress and the maid at the same mo-
ment.